


The Prodigal Knightess

by classic_cut_kyber



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-21
Updated: 2019-07-21
Packaged: 2020-07-09 19:43:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 9
Words: 11,057
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19893280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/classic_cut_kyber/pseuds/classic_cut_kyber
Summary: The Resistance is on high alert when Leia Organa's capital ship receives a transmission from a First Order shuttle asking to dock. However, that's not what scares them. What scares them is who the ship is carrying: a Knight of Ren. Preparing like it's war, Poe Dameron, Finn, Rey, Chewbacca, and the rest can only wait and see what this Knight of Ren has in store for them.





	1. Incoming Knight of Ren

With contributions by Telcan Lomia

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A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

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"Wait, wait, wait. There is a who in the what now?" Poe Dameron said, refusing to believe what he was hearing. "You heard me Poe. We need to prepare." His friend Finn replied starkly. His face was calm, hiding the panic within. They were on Leia's cruiser, roaming through known and unknown space. They were the last of the Resistance, the only survivors from the Battle of Crait. They were now on the run from the First Order, constantly moving, never stopping, just like in the days of Rebellion. He looked from Finn to their friend, the small framed, ever hopeful, Rose Tico. Dameron ran a hand through his thick, dark, curly hair. "You're positive?" He said. He couldn't wrap his brain around it. It made no sense. "We're certain of it. The ship just came out of hyperspace." Tico said solemnly. If it were true...

"Rose, go find Rey then tell Leia what has happened. Finn, you're with me. Tell the men to ready up like we are going to war." Dameron commanded. Tico nodded and ran off the opposite direction as Poe, Finn, and BB-8 headed towards the hanger, where a shuttle carrying a Knight of Ren was about to dock. A Knight of Ren. Blast. There was no way. This had to be a trap.

"So which knight is it?" Poe asked they rounded a corner. "Her name is Zella Ren." Finn said. "Do you know her?" "No, I've never met her personally. I've heard stories though. She's cunning and smart. Her battle plans are ingenious and I heard she is incredibly talented in the Force. Some say she's even better than Kylo Ren." Dameron swore under his breath. He had met Kylo Ren face to face. If Zella is that good, then they had no chance of surviving. Rey and her Jedi skills were their only hope. BB-8 beeped something as the hanger came into view.

"Rey'll make it in time, don't worry buddy." Dameron comforted. BB-8 replied quickly, still unconvinced.

When they entered the hanger, every blaster was trained on the First Order shuttle that lie within. Finn and Dameron stopped and watched as a hiss came from the ship and door dropped down, flooding the area with an opaque, white vapor. Every fiber of Dameron's body tensed as footsteps echoed out from the ship. Soon after, a dark shape appeared within the cloud. As the mist dissipated, Poe Dameron got his first look at Zella Ren.

She had on black cloak that reached down to her ankles. The hood, trimmed with dark crimson was pulled up over her hair. She had on an ebony tunic with a deep red shirt underneath and grey embellishments. The shirt covered her arms as well. The bottom was long charcoal colored skirt that fell to her boots. When she took a step, Dameron noticed a slit in the skirt that revealed a long, red armor clad leg. But what caught his attention the most, was the mask.

Like Kylo, Zella Ren too wore a mask. It was black and grey and covered her whole face. It had a T shaped visor built into the front and a type of sinister smile where the mouth would have been. His attention was only pulled away from the mask when a glint of something metal caught his eye. Her lightsabers. BB-8 rolled behind Poe's leg with a scared, low boop. The First Order general stretched out her thin arms an interlocked her gloved fingers in a stretch.

Zella took a step forward and looked over the remains of the Resistance. She cocked her head as if interested before descending down the ramp. She was like a magnet. Every eye, every body, every blaster barrel, were connected to her. Once she was on the hanger floor, she huffed.

"If I was going to kill you, you'd be dead already." She said, irritatedly breaking the tense silence. Her words broke whatever spell Dameron was under. He took a step towards her, blaster chest level.

"Surrender Zella Ren. You are under arrest. I don't know what you think you're going to accomplish by being here, but whatever it is, think again. You can't defeat all of us" Poe shouted, trying to sound as confident as he could, when in fact, he was terrified. She could kill him with just a twitch of her fingers. And that is the best possible scenario. Dameron had been interrogated by Kylo Ren before. He would never forget what it felt like to have someone probing around in your mind, like a ghost hand brushing it's fingers against your memories. It violated your most safe place, your only safe place. And the pain when you fought back, diverted your mind... The memory sent a shutter down his back.

"I'm here to see Leia." Zella replied, her voice high and sweet, but impatient. Dameron clicked the safety on his blaster for the drama of it. "Try again." He said. He desperately hoped Rey was on her way. Poe couldn't see her face, but he had a feeling she rolled her eyes.

"Leia is already on her way, as is your so-called Jedi friend, Rey. Just move out of the way, Captain Dameron." Zella said. She was taunting him. A footstep turned his attention behind him. Rose had returned. She nodded at Poe as she positioned herself next to Finn.

"Forget it, Zella." He said. At that moment, the sound of a lightsaber igniting was heard. Rey dropped down from the ceiling, swinging her light blue saber at the Knight of Ren. Zella pulled her lightsaber off her belt and blocked Rey's strike. She took a step back.

"Ahh. I was wondering when you would show up, scavenger." Zella said, making it clear scavenger was not a compliment. She put her saber away. "I don't know what you think you're doing here, but you made the wrong choice." Rey said aggressively. The girl from Jakku was clearly unhappy about the First Order general being here. She stabbed out at Zella. The Knightess dodged it with a quick step to the side, sending Rey stumbling forward. "You are the one who made the wrong choice." Zella said as she sidestepped each of Rey's movements with ease. "You are no Jedi so stop acting like one." She chided. Rey cried out and made another slash at Zella, one that connected with nothing but air. Dameron, like everyone else in the room, was hypnotized.

"I am the last Jedi. I defeated Kylo Ren. I'm the one who found Luke Skywalker. You are nothing but a traitor!" Rey shouted, emotion lining her voice. In an instant, Zella took out her twin sabers. She crossed them in an X and closed them on Rey's blue saber. The weapon went flying across the room. Zella gave Rey a push and knocked her to the roughly to the ground. Rey reached out her hand and sent the Knight of Ren flying. Zella flipped and landed gently on the ground, her red sabers humming.

"Nice attempt, scavenger. Tuck your elbow in and don't step into your strikes as much. Throws you off balance." Zella said as she straightened up. "I don't need your help!" Rey said as she pulled her saber to her hand and swung at the general. Zella blocked each one of her movements with unnerving ease. "Apparently you do." The Knightess said. The entirety of the Resistance stood, transfixed on the duel.

"What? You think because you got lucky on Starkiller Base that makes you some kind of special?" Zella Ren said, giving her red blades a twirl. "Because you finished the puzzle to find Skywalker? Do you understand how much people sacrificed for that?" Rey leapt towards the Knight of Ren. Zella blocked it. "Del Meeko and Lor San Tekka died over that information! All you did was fly the Falcon!" Her voice was angry. "Which, by the way, isn't even your's, so don't get any ideas. It's Chewbacca's." Zella picked up a crate using the Force and tossed it at Rey. Rey sliced it through the middle and turned to face the knight. 

"Because you defeated an injured, anger blinded Kylo Ren, you are somehow the hero of the Resistance? I've defeated that idiot multiple times in sparring matches." Rey slashed out at her and managed to connect with her hand. Zella hissed and dropped her left saber, making Rey smirk confidently. Zella turned around and did a fancy slash at Rey. She kicked her behind the knee as the blue saber flipped up in the air. Zella caught it and crossed the red and blue sabers at Rey's throat.

"You are nothing special. Just a kid with a lightsaber." Zella said down at Rey, who was on her back sitting on the floor. The Knight of Ren put her red saber away and looked at Rey's blue one.

"Give that back!" She shouted. Zella pushed her back to the ground using the Force. She powered the saber down and released it, leaving it floating in mid-air. She widened her hands at each end of the saber. Poe watched, amazed, as the saber twisted and pulled itself apart, revealing all of the mechanisms inside, including a stone that seemed to glow like some sort of distant star.

"You did an ok job fixing the Skywalker saber. It's all weird though." Zella commented. "Wait, did you fix this by hand?" She asked. Rey pushed herself up. "Yes." The Knight of Ren gave a snort followed by a pretty laugh. "Wow, you really don't know anything. You have to use the Force, scavenger. You're lucky." She said, as she dipped her head, her eyes studying the saber behind her mask. Some wires disconnected and rearranged themselves before inserting back into a round piece towards the end.

Zella brought her hands closer together and the saber rebuilt itself. "You screwed up the emitter matrix. If you had been in an intense duel, it could have shaken loose and blown you sky high." Zella said, reigniting the saber before tossing it to Rey. She caught it and gave it a spin. "See? The hilt doesn't hum anymore. A Jedi would know that." Zella said.

"Well you sure are a chatty one, aren't you?" Dameron said snarkily. The First Order General turned her attention on him. "Well that's what happens when I'm in a battle I know I can win. I critique." She said. "You're just arrogant." Tico spat from behind him. "No, I just know my limits." She replied simply. "I think I can defeat a barely trained girl. If Darth Sidious or Grandmaster Yoda show up, then we can talk."

"What about me?" Said a voice. Dameron turned to see General Leia Organa standing in the doorway.


	2. Reunion of Manipulation?

Every eye turned to the leader of the Resistance. 

"General Organa. It is good to see you again." Zella said softly. She seemed to have lost some of her snarky edge. Where she treated Rey, Poe, and everyone else like a nuisance or waste of time, towards Organa, she seemed to have a different attitude. Respect was there, yes, but as was something else, something Dameron couldn't put his finger on. Leia took a few steps towards the Knight of Ren.

"Take off that mask and stop being so formal." She said sternly. "Yes, Aunt Leia." Zella said with a defeated edge in her voice. Poe gave a very confused face to Rose and Finn.

Did she just say Aunt Leia? Dameron mouthed at them. Finn raised his shoulders in an I-don't-know fashion, where Tico just looked confused. Dameron turned back to Zella. She had pulled off her mask and tugged down her hood.

The first thing that caught Poe's attention was her long, shiny red hair that fell down her back. The front was bound back in an ornate knot on the back of her head. Her skin was pale and had a dusting of freckles. Her eyes were a clear blue. Her face had the pinkish imprint of her mask on her cheeks and forehead. Her jaw was angled and her cheekbones were prominent. She had an upturned nose and nice eyebrows. Overall she was quite stunning, which annoyed the hell out of Dameron. Holding onto the mask, Zella leaned forward and gave Organa a hug.

"I'm so sorry, about everything." She said. "Especially Uncle Han, I should have come here sooner." She said. Leia pulled away. "That wasn't your fault. And you are here now." She said, smiling at her.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa." Dameron interrupted. "So a Knight of Ren just waltzes up to our front door, and we just let her in like it's nothing? She's First Order!" Dameron said. "I agree with Poe." Finn added. "We can't just let her in! It's a trap or something." Rey was silently surveying the Knight of Ren. "Oh please. If she wanted to kill us, she would have already." Organa dismissed them. "Told you." Zella said with a shrug. Happy beeping came from the doorway.

"Artoo!" Zella knelt down as the weathered astromech wheeled into the hanger. "How are you buddy?" She asked with a smile. Artoo answered her with a long line of beeps, boops, and whirrs. "I know, I know. But I'm back now." She said, putting a hand on his dome.

"Oh my! Master Kixa, you have returned." Said C-3PO as he entered the doorway. "Threepio! I'm glad to see you're still out and about. Although I go by Avara now." She said, giving Leia a knowing look. "So you found out then?" She asked. "Yes. I was very angry at first, but I understand now."

"What in the name of Hoth is happening here?" Dameron said, stupefied by this scenario. "She's a traitor! She shouldn't be here at all, let alone welcomed back." Rey said, finally putting her two cents into the discussion. "Big talk for someone who doesn't know me." Zella spat back. "Come on, there is someone who wants to see you on the bridge. As you were, everyone." General Organa said with a flick of her wrist as she and the Knightess made their way into the heart of the ship.

"Hello Starkiller." Zella said with a sideways grin as she passed Finn. He gave her a confused look. "What did you call me?" He asked. Zella smiled. "You heard me FN-2187." Poe, Rey, Finn, and Rose all looked at each other incredulously as the door slide closed behind the general and the knightess.

"Has Leia lost her mind? We can't trust her!" Dameron said, borderline shouting. "I have no idea what she is thinking. What I do know is that Zella can't be left alone for even a minute." Tico added. "Then that's what we'll do. One of us will be with the knight at all times." Finn said. Rey was still off in her own world.

"Rey?" Poe said gently. "Hmm?" "You alright?" He asked. She looked down at her saber. "She defeated me like I was nothing." She said quietly, gripping tightly onto her saber. "Hey, don't let Zella get in your head." Finn said. "Ok?" Rey met his gaze and nodded slowly. Dameron looked towards the door.

"Come on BB-8. You too, Rey." He said, heading for the bridge. BB-8 rolled out behind him. Rey stood for a second longer before following the two out. BB-8 made alarmed beeping sounds. "I don't know buddy, but we're going to figure it out."


	3. Leia's Instructions

Avara watched as the door slid into the wall in front of her. She followed the general onto the bridge, where a massive, walking carpet was fiddling with the hyperdrive. She wasn't sure how Chewbacca would take to seeing her again. She hadn't left on good terms. Hopefully she left with both her arms still intact.

"Uncle Chewie?" She said gently. Chewbacca slid out from under a panel and sat up. He stared at her for a second before making a low pitched whining sound. He leaned forward and then drew back, the movement looking like he wanted to hug her, but was holding himself back. Avara gripped her right wrist.

"I'm sorry Uncle Chewie. For leaving, for Uncle Han, for everything. Can you forgive me?" Avara asked gently. She hated how superficial it sounded. Chewie let out a quick bark before taking the Knightess in his arms. Her entire face was suddenly encompassed in warm fair. She wrapped her arms around his thick torso, Chewie making soft Wookiee sounds at her and brushed her long hair with his massive paws. Avara pulled back and smiled at him.

"Oh, before I forget." Avara said, digging into pocket on her belt. She pulled something out and dropped it in his large hand. It was a wooden carving attached to an ornate metal chain.

"Roo and Malla say hi." She said. He whimpered at the Hanasoo and brushed his fingers over it. He tightened his grip and thanked her.

"So that was you on Kashyyyk." Leia stated. The First Order general nodded. "Yes. After I left the First Order, I went to stay among the Wookiees. It was New Republic and I would be accepted there. When the First Order came after the destruction of the Hosnian system, I helped fight them off. I had to leave afterwards because I didn't want the First Order figuring out that I was there and punishing the Wookies." Avara said. She looked out the window. Out in the blackness of space, there was the remains of a planet. The debris and rocks were being pulled in a spiral shape, where they would eventually be eaten up by the Aldaraanian black hole. Chewbacca was still staring at the trinket in his hand. The warmth the sight brought her made Avara smile.

"So you find Poe Dameron attractive?" Organa said, stepping next to Avara. She gave her a surprised look. "I never said that." The knightess said defensively, crossing her arms. "You didn't have to." Avara blushed. "Was it that obvious?" She asked. "Only to me." The princess said with a smirk. As she looked out at the remains of her childhood home, her aura darkened. Avara put a hand on her shoulder.

"Poe is pretty mad at you." She said. "He'll get over it. He has to learn to trust other people's judgements." Avara chuckled after a moment of silence. "I was just thinking about the time that Representative Binks found out that you were the daughter of Padme Amidala and came for a visit." Leia gave a quick chuckle. "Han thought Threepio was bad. Not after that visit. He said that if Jar Jar didn't leave soon, he was going to have Chewie knock him out until the end of the visit." The general said. "I'm pretty sure he meant it too." They shared a laugh.

"I thought this would be awkward, after everything that has happened, but I feel like I never left. How are you able to be so forgiving towards me? After everything that I did?" Avara asked. Leia turned to her. "Because you never really left. You were always here, I always sensed you close by, as you did me. I always sensed how you never truly embraced the dark side, how you had your doubts, and because of that, I always knew you would come back to us." She said. The general's face became saddened. "If only Ben were the same." She said. Avara looked out again to the remains of Alderaan. They were almost in the exact same spot where the first Death Star was positioned when it cut through the heart of the planet. "Aunt Leia, it's not that Ben can't be saved, it's that he doesn't want to be. I have felt the light inside of him, he just suppresses it. He needs a reason to change." Organa opened her mouth to reply, when Poe Dameron came bursting onto the bridge.

"General Organa, can we talk?" He said with BB-8 on his heels. Rey slipped in quietly and leaned against the back wall. Poe shot Avara a dirty look. She made a face back at him that ended with her lips in a smirk. "You can talk, but it doesn't mean I'll listen." Organa replied, moving to the other side of the panel. Dameron sighed irritably. "Her? There? Zella Ren? She can't be allowed to wander freely around the cruiser. Not only is she First Order, she is a Knight of Ren!" He said. "That didn't bother you when it was Starkiller." Avara said brusquely. "Why do you keep calling him that?" Poe asked. "Cause that's what the soldiers call him in the First Order. The Stormtrooper that brought about the destruction of Starkiller Base, the trooper that killed Starkiller." Avara said. "Finn Starkiller." "See! This is exactly what I'm talking about. She can not be trusted." Dameron yelled. "Watch your tone Captain Dameron." Organa said lowly. Poe backed off slightly. "Trust me Dameron. If Avara had any ill intent, I would know about it. " Leia said.

"Like Snoke knew Kylo's intentions when he killed him?" Rey countered. She was slowly starting to recover some of her spark. Avara immediately got irritated. "That's different." "Different how?" Dameron spat. "Kylo and Snoke had a forged bond. It is the kind of bond anyone can have. It's crafted through time spent together, through learning and shared experiences. Then there are force bonds. They exist even before you meet a person and it's usually between a master and an apprentice. A good example would be Anakin Skywalker and Obi-Wan Kenobi. Aunt Leia and I have a force bond. At times it has been so strong we have been able to communicate in our minds. When Uncle Han died, I felt her grief all the way on Kashyyyk." Avara said. "I don't think I could hide something from her even if I tried. How do you think she knew I was coming?" Chewbacca roared in agreement from under the panel.

"Why come back?" Rey asked. "If you are truly here to help the Resistance, why now? The Republic is gone, the Resistance is nothing but a few soldiers and the First Order is in control." Avara turned to her. Her face was serious.

"Because Luke Skywalker told me to." She said. "After the Battle of Crait, he visited me in a dream. He told me to come here, to the remains of Alderaan. He told me it was my job to train Rey in the ways of the Force. I am the last Jedi, not you." She said. Rey tightened her mouth in a determined way. "But," Avara continued, "with some time and training, perhaps, just perhaps, we could be the last Jedi."

"Why did you leave the First Order in the first place?" Poe asked. Avara tucked some hair behind her ear. "The Force gave me a dream. I saw battles from the Clone Wars, centered around Obi-Wan Kenobi and Anakin Skywalker. It led up to Order 66 and a battle on the planet of Mustafar, where Anakin Skywalker died and Darth Vader was officially born. The last thing I saw was the Death Star, twenty years later, when Darth Vader finally got his revenge on his old master. At the end, I heard a voice. Obi-Wan's. He said "Betrayal by enemy is expected. Betrayal by a friend is unpredictable, unprecedented, and irreversible." At that point I knew what he meant, that Ben would betray me, just like Anakin betrayed Obi-Wan. And he did." She said. "I mean, he tried killing me before, but I never really took the brat seriously."

"Wait, wait, wait. Kylo Ren tried to kill you before?" Dameron interrupted. Avara nodded."Six times in fact." Dameron gave her an astonished look. She lifted up her left hand and pulled off the glove. It was mechanical. "He did this to me." She said. "Use any means to get ahead." Organa lifted up her hand to silence them.

"None of that matters. Avara is here now and it's a good thing. I have a mission for you all." Organa said. "If we want to be ready for the First Order and Kylo Ren, Rey needs training, so Avara, Rey, Poe, Rose, and Finn are going to go to the planet of Selanon. It's close and a neutral system. Once Avara feels Rey is ready, you will contact me." She said. "I'm sending Lieutenant Connix, along with Commander Suurgav and Captain Meeko to Bespin. I have an old friend waiting there." Avara's eyes widened. "General Calrissian?" She asked. She had very fond memories of the governor of Bespin. He taught her how to play Pazaak and holochess as a child and brought her cool trinkets and toys from around the galaxy. In fact, she was currently wearing a necklace made by the Togrutas on Kiros that he had given her.

"The very same. I will tell him you say hello. In the meantime, take these and head out. Chewie's coming with you." Organa said, handing Avara the bundle of clothes that had been sitting on a panel. "So you look a little less First Order. Also, take two X-Wings in case you run into trouble." The former Knight of Ren gave her aunt a hug before taking the clothes off her hands. "Relax Avara. We will meet again, don't you worry." Leia said, quickly putting a hand on the side of Avara's face. The former knight nodded as she began to back towards the door. "May the Force be with you."

Avara made her way out the door. The red haired knightess got halfway to the hanger before stopping at a room. Her eyes had caught a flash of gold and silver.

"Hey Artooie! Wanna be my wingman?" She asked into the room. R2-D2 turned his dome towards her and beeped happily. He rolled out to her. "Oh do be careful Artoo! You aren't fresh out of the factory you know!" Threepio called. Artoo beeped back rudely. "Don't use that tone with me! I'm just watching out for you, you hunk of rusted old parts! If you get into trouble, that means it will likely find me next!" Threepio replied snippily.

"It doesn't matter how old you are Artoo. You are still the best astromech around." Avara said. "Except for BB-8 of course." Avara turned and saw Poe Dameron and his droid standing behind them. Rey had gone off to fetch Tico and Finn.

"Well, when BB-8 serves in three wars, along with being made a war hero, we'll talk." Avara replied cockily, Artoo falling in line behind her. "I still don't trust you, despite what Leia says." Dameron said as the door to the hanger came into view. Avara stopped and looked at him. He really did have a handsome face, his strong jaw, watchful eyes, his goofy smile. She gripped her right wrist."I didn't expect you to. I'm just going to have to prove you wrong." She said. As they entered, her eyes fell on young women and a Duros talking by an X-Wing.

"That's Shriv Suurgav, so I'm assuming he's talking to Zay Meeko?" Avara said. "Yea, why?" She got lost in thought for mmmmmmka second. "I haven't seen Zay since I was a little kid. We were good friends. I knew you too Poe, although you would know me as Kixa Polia." Avara said. There was a second of hesitation before Poe's face turned to one of realization. "I remember you." He said. Avara donned a warm, pretty smile. "I remember we would run around on Home One and some of the officers would yell at us. Except for the times Admiral Ackbar would join in, of course." She said. "I remember one time you tripped and fell right on top of Captain Merkoff." Poe cracked a cute lopsided smile at the memory. "Yes I did. My parents were furious." He gave a small laugh. "Why do you go by Avara now?" He asked. The Knightess sighed. "That is a very long story, one for another day, but the bare bones of it is that Snoke was looking for me, as in Avara, so they changed my name to Kixa Polia." She said as they entered the hanger. "Did you always know?" Avara stopped in front of the doorway. She dropped a hand on Artoo's head.

"No. Not until I was older. I mean, once I found out I realized that something always felt off. Snoke and Ben Solo used the story to turn me away from the New Republic, from my family... from the Jedi." She said airily. "I'm gonna get changed real quick and then we can go." She said, changing the subject. Dameron watched her form disappear into the ship's lavatories. Whether she was Avara, Zella Ren, Kixa Polia, it didn't matter. Dameron was fascinated by her. She was wild and unpredictable and dangerous, three things that Dameron loved and was strongly attracted to. That's why he loved being a pilot. As much as he desperately tried to hold onto that suspicion and hatred he felt when Avara had first stepped on board, he felt it slipping through his fingers. It had begun the second he laid eyes on her gorgeous face.


	4. Landing on Selanon

"What is the Knight of Ren doing here?" A voice said behind Dameron. It was Zay Meeko. She was standing along with Shriv Suurgav. She was as beautiful as ever, with her large brown eyes, the freckles across her face, her dark hair pulled up into a bun in the back. They would still be together if they had the time, but as their duties became more and more urgent, they just grew apart. "Shouldn't she be locked up or something?" She asked. "I agree, but Leia is fine with it for whatever reason." Dameron said.

"Hey, cut the girl a break." Suurgav said. That shook Dameron out of his thoughts of the alluring knightess. He and Meeko gave him a shocked look. "Zay, you of all people should understand. I never met anyone more loyal to the Empire than your mother and father. Yet they deserted after Operation Cinder. The Rebellion accepted them with open arms. No cuffs, no trial period. They weren't even regular troopers. They were special forces. Infiltration was their job. Not to mention that your grandfather was a high ranking Imperial officer." He said. "She was only a little kid when Ben Solo betrayed Luke Skywalker. Who knows what that traitor told her. Kixa came back though, and that's what matters. If General Organa trusts her, I trust her." Dameron huffed, trying to pull up that suspicion and hatred again. "You weren't there on Crait. Both of you were out in the Outer Rim on a mission. You didn't see the First Order attack. This is just another trick to destroy us from the inside out." Dameron said. As he did, he could feel himself losing belief in the words. Suurgav shrugged. "Iden Versio once told me that rebellions were born from hate. But as she got deeper and deeper into the Rebellion, she realized it wasn't hate; It was hope. Hope that things can change, that people can change. She of all people understood that. I have faith in Zella Ren. I hope that she is telling the truth, because if she can change, who knows who else will follow." He finished, leaving Meeko and Dameron stunned. "Come on Zay. Lieutenant Connix is waiting for us." He said. Zay nodded as he walked off. She quickly gave Poe a kiss on the cheek. "Be safe." She said as she followed Shriv. Dameron nodded, even though Meeko had already turned her back to him.

"Come on buddy." Dameron said, turning to his X-Wing. BB-8 rolled underneath. A mechanical arm came down and pulled the little droid up into the astromech slot. Dameron began to climb the ladder up to the cockpit when the former Knight of Ren returned.

"They are a little small, but they'll do. I think this is one of Aunt Leia's old outfits." She said, tugging down the white pants. Her shirt was also white, with a tan vest and gloves. Her hair was pulled up into two loose, messy buns on the sides of her face. She also had on brown knee high boots. There was a belt around her waist that held her lightsabers and a blaster.

"You ready to get going, Zella." Finn said sourly as he, Chewie, Rose, and Rey entered into the hanger. Dameron had never seen Finn hold so much malice for one person, not even when he spoke about Phasma or Kylo. What was it about Avara that irked him so?

"Just one last thing." She said. She picked her lightsabers off of her waist and ignited them. She closed her eyes and dipped her head in focus. The color of the saber blades began to fade, eventually turning from scarlet to a vivid yellow in her left and bright violet in her right. Avara smiled and deactivated them.

"Now I'm ready." Artoo went under her X-Wing, which was painted white and green, while the former Knight of Ren hopped up into the cockpit.

"Think you can keep up Dameron?" She said, tugging on her helmet. "Why don't you ask my contrail? If you can catch it." He said, smirking. Avara rolled her eyes. "Real original. I've only heard that one twenty times." She said, flipping switches as the lid of the cockpit closed on her. Dameron pulled on his own helmet. The lid shut him in with a loud hiss.

"You ready buddy?" Poe asked BB-8 as he reached up above his head. The round droid beeped confidently back as Dameron started priming the engines. "That's what I like to hear." He said.

"Head on out, we'll follow you." Rey's voice said in Poe's ear as the other four boarded the infamous Millennium Falcon. The two pilots and their X-Wings made their way out of the hanger into open space. Once they were joined by the Falcon, the three ships made their jump to hyperspace.

When they dropped out of lightspeed, the planet of Selanon appeared in front of them, big and bright, with shades of red, blue and green in it. Two moons, Charnin and Laerska, were off in the distance. The blue-white sun shown brightly from hundreds of clicks away.

"This is Selanon. It's known for its strange terrain. Red dirt, oceans, and forests. It's basically like Endor mixed with Geonosis and Naboo." Avara said. Artoo beeped. "Really? In the Clone Wars? I never knew that. At least you're familiar with the area." She said. "Know any good landing spots?" Artoo beeped confidently. Avara made a surprised face as the ship began to move on its own.

"Well ok then, you can drive. Artoo says he knows a good landing spot on the outskirts of Nerahyra Village." She said. Avara looked behind her as Dameron's black and orange fighter and the Falcon followed her down into the planet's surface. Artoo turned the ship to the right and angled it downwards. They broke into the atmosphere, disrupting a puffy cloud that was minding its own business.

Avara had only ever read about Selanon. The planet was made from a red, clay like soil, like Geonosis or Korriban. There were strange flora and fauna here, unlike any in the galaxy. Even among the Republic's standards, this place was a biological marvel. It drew a lot of attention for its unusualness. There was a whole Ithorian research team that has been here for hundreds of years, searching, experimenting, learning.

Avara could sense the restlessness of life as they closed in on the surface. The plants, creatures, sentients. The canyons, wind, and sea. It was invigorating.

The three ships landed on the outskirts of the Nerahyra Village. The six of them, plus two droids, all exited their vessels and assembled in the center of the three.

"Ok, follow me." Avara said. "Why can't we train here?" Rey asked, an edge to her voice. "I saw a better spot as we were landing. Trust me." Tico, Finn, Dameron, and Rey all gave her a look. When no one moved, Chewbacca marched up next to her and roared at them.

"I still don't speak that." Finn snapped. Avara sighed. "Come on. I know you guys just see me as Zella Ren, general in the First Order, but I'm not her anymore. Please believe me." She sighed. No one budged. "Fine, we'll stay here. I'm going into the village to get some training supplies. Who would like to come, since I have to have a babysitter at all times?" Tico stepped up. "I'll go with you Zella." Avara nodded. "Ok." She turned her attention to Rey. "In the meantime, I want you to meditate, get a feel for the surrounding area, how the Force flows through it. Each planet has a completely different aura from the next, so it's important to acclimate to each when none has the time." Avara said. Rey hesitated before nodding. Avara nodded to Artoo and Tico before walking off towards the woods in the direction of the village. Artoo immediately dropped his third leg and wheeled over a branch as he too went towards the village. Tico went to follow, but stopped when Finn put a hand on her bicep.

"Rose," He said seriously. "Be safe. Keep your guard up constantly with her. She's a master manipulator." He said. Tico nodded. "I will." Finn pulled her in and gave her a quick, but sweet kiss before releasing her. Tico smiled and ran off after Avara.

"I don't like this." Finn said, crossing his arms the trio disappeared into the woods. "What can we do? Leia's orders." Dameron said as the sound of their footsteps lowered to a mute. "Trust the Force, that's what we should do." Rey said. She touched the lightsaber hanging from her side. She crossed her legs and sat down, focusing on the Force and what it was trying to tell her.


	5. The Woods

Rose Tico watched the former Knight of Ren with wary interest. She had the face of a friend, but Tico couldn't shake the memory of the terror she felt, seeing her walk down the ramp in all black, her red sabers, that mask. Rose wanted to trust her. Anyone can change. Finn did. But all logic told her not to trust this woman. Finn was just a Stormtrooper. He was taught from infancy how to feel, how to think. She chose the First Order. She brought death and destruction where she went. And since she was First Order, that means she killed her sister.

The thought of Paige sent a stab of grief into her heart. Her death was still fresh. But she would not cry, not in front of the knightess, who would only exploit this weakness. She was strong. She was as tough as Rey and Zella combined. She didn't have a fancy lightsaber or the ability to throw people ten feet with a flick of her wrist. She wasn't an ace pilot like Poe or Resistance hero like Finn. She wasn't a legend like Chewbacca, but hell, she was Rose Tico and she belonged here. She would prove she belonged here.

So Tico shoved her feelings of grief deep down, dug up as much confidence as she could muster, and stepped high over a bush after Zella. Artoo was keeping up as well as he could. He would occasionally have to cut a bush, or Zella would have to stop and remove leaves from his wheels, but the droid just kept chugging along.

"I'm sorry." Zella said suddenly, breaking the silence. Her voice spooked Tico, making her jump. Rose was glad that she was behind the knightess. "For what?" She said, looking at Zella's back as the former First Order general vaulted over a log easily. "I sense your pain, your grief. I don't know who it's for, but I do know it has something to do with the First Order. So I'm sorry." She said, reaching out to help Rose over the log. Artoo lit his rocket boosters and hovered over the log. Tico put her foot on a rock and stepped over, ignoring Zella's hand to help.

"My grief," She said as she landed on the other side. "is for my sister. She was killed before the Battle of Crait. By the First Order." She said. Rose touched the medallion on her chest, the one she and her sister each had a half of. "She was a hero. She took down a dreadnought." Tico's chest swelled with pride, despite the painful memory. That was her sister who did that.

"That's an impressive feat." Zella said, tugging her right wrist. She looked awkward. "I lost someone too, to the First Order." She said softly as she brushed a branch away from her face. Tico snorted. "I'm serious." Zella said. "His name was Shygus Ren. He died when Kylo betrayed us. He died protecting me." The knightess looked sad. "You loved him." Tico realized. Zella nodded. "Did he know?" "Yes, and reciprocated." Tico looked ahead as a speeder zoomed down a road hidden by the brush.

"If you are trying to get me to feel sorry for you, you are wasting your time." Tico said steely, hoping she meant the words she was saying. Zella stopped and turned her blue eyes on Rose.

"I wasn't trying to. You guys think that I had the good life and threw it all away for the Resistance. I'm trying to prove to you why I would want to leave. You don't know what it was like." She said. "Finn told me stories." Now it was Zella that snorted. "The Stormtroopers had it bad, but trust me, the Knights had it worse. Snoke did not take any insubordination lightly. The only person he would let get away with anything was Kylo, and that was just little things." Zella said as they stepped onto the dirt strip of road.

"Let's get what we need and get out of here." The knightess said. Artoo beeped, happy to be on flat ground again. Tico took a breath before following Avara into the village.


	6. Meditation

"Can you please stop tapping?" Rey asked, her eyes shut in concentration. Finn stopped rapping his wrench against the toolbox he was sitting next to. Poe was under his X-Wing, trying to figure out the source of a mysterious clunking noise he had heard on their way here.

"Sorry. Just nervous." Finn said. "Don't be." Poe's voice echoed from the engine chamber. "Rose can take of herself. Plus Artoo's with them. Hydrospanner please." He said, reaching down for the tool with one hand while pinning wires to a plate with the other. "Artoo won't be much help. He loves Zella." Chewie made an angry roar from where he was laying out next to the Falcon with BB-8.

"He says her name is Avara and to call her that. Now shush." Rey's meditating form said. "She is Zella Ren, a Knight of Ren, so I will call her such." Finn replied. BB-8 beeped his two cents in. "There are stories of Zella that used to be spread around the barracks. She is an incredible strategist, but ruthless. She actually has the most success with the least amount of casualties, stormtrooper, civilian, and otherwise. But she is very manipulative and tricky. She's conned her way into quite a few successes. There's a rumor that she went undercover as a bounty hunter and took out one of the Hutts that betrayed Snoke a few years ago. No one knows if it's true or not." Finn said. "But regardless, she always seems to be one step ahead of the competition." Poe slid out from under his fighter. "So you think this is all an act?" "You don't?"

"Shuuuuhh." Rey said again. "Well I did, but Leia vouched for her so sincerely, I'm not so sure now." Finn made a grumpy face. "She's probably manipulating her too." Poe gave her an unsure expression. "Leia isn't the kind to be fooled easily." Chewbacca made an angry roar and shoved himself to his feet. BB-8 made a scared beeping sound. The Wookiee lunged himself at Finn and wrapped his hand around his neck, yelling at him.

"Chewbacca! Let him go!" Poe said, trying to seperate the two. Rey huffed irritably and lifted her hand. Both men and Wookiee rose into the air of their own accord.

"I am trying to meditate. Please be quiet!" She chastised. The girl from Jakku flicked her wrist and the three flopped back down onto the ground. At that same moment, a rustling came from the trees, putting all five on edge. Their panic was unwarranted, however, because it was only Avara, Tico, and Artoo.

"Do you have to point a blaster at me every time I enter a room?" Avara said snarkily. "Have you given us a reason not to?" Finn said back. Dameron lowered his blaster aim to the ground. "I don't recall giving you a reason to do." The knightess dropped the crate she was carrying on the ground. She stood up and brushed her hands together, creating a puff of dirt.

"Ready to start your training?" Avara asked. Rey stood up. "Ready as I'll ever be."


	7. Training the Scavenger

"Stop stepping so deep into your strikes." Avara chastised. "It's not that easy!" Rey snapped back. This was their third day on Selanon. Avara was impressed with Rey's progress, but the girl from Jakku still had much to learn. She had an unusually strong connection to the Force. She had good lightsaber technique, but it was very sloppy.

"Hold yourself back. Don't swing as hard and don't lean forward. If you keep this up, you will get yourself killed." Avara said. They were in a clearing near their landing site. With Finn refusing to leave Avara alone with anyone, even Rey, Poe Dameron was sitting on a rock, intently watching the two spar. He was enjoying it. He never realized how intricate lightsaber duels were. Plus he liked watching how the former Knight of Ren moved. Avara spun around and grabbed Rey's wrist, wrenching the saber out of her hand.

"Let's try something different." She said, giving Rey back the saber. "We need to start from the beginning. Slow down. Retrain you in what you think you know. This isn't some makeshift staff. It is a weapon worthy of a Jedi. Show me that you're worthy." She said. Rey stepped back and took a fighting stance. She slashed left, right, and down. She did a spin move. Although none of these strikes came close to hurting the red-haired knightess, she did have a pleased expression on her face.

"Good job, scavenger." That was the first time Poe had heard her use the term not as an insult. "You have finally learned how to listen." She said. Rey responded with a smile and a nod. "Now do it again."

They repeated for hours. Avara taught Rey new techniques and showed her different grips and styles. She explained Soresu and how Makashi would be good form to defend against Kylo Ren. They took a long meditation and food break halfway through.

"Now that we've rested and eaten, time for some Force training." Avara sat down. "What do you know about the Force?" Rey thought for a second. "It is the balance between all living things." Avara nodded. "How about the Cosmic and the Living Force?" She asked. Rey cocked her head at her. "That I don't know." Avara smiled.

"I want you think of it like rainwater. There are clouds, up in the sky that hold water. They send rain down. This rain fills a lake. When the sun comes out, the water evaporates and returns to the clouds. The fuel each other. The Cosmic Force is the clouds. It is untouchable, yet it rains down and fills the lakes and streams. From the lakes and streams, who are the Living Force, vapor comes up and renews the clouds. It is a cycle. One cannot exist without the other." She explained.

"Then what are Midichlorians? I remember reading about them in a text." Rey asked. "Now that is an intelligent question. I am impressed." Avara said, ushering for Rey to sit on the ground with her. "The Living Force is all around us. It flows everywhere, even through us. Midichlorians have to deal with what makes one person Force sensitive and not another. For reasons still unknown, Force users actually have the Cosmic Force inside of them as well. That's why they are so in tune to the Force and its feelings. However, the Living Force and Cosmic Force can not touch. The sustain each yes, but never do they interact. They are like two ends of a magnet. When the Living Force flows through a Jedi, the Cosmic Force has a sort of 'reaction' to it. It creates a protective space around itself and breaks into smaller sections."

"And those sections are Midichlorians?" Rey asked. Avara nodded her head yes. "The more Midichlorians one has, the more Cosmic Force they have inside of them, making them have a deeper connection with the Force."

After they did some more meditating, before continuing to spar. Avara kept critiquing Rey's form, but the scavenger's flaws weren't as serious as they were previously. Avara huffed.

"You have to tighten your wrist." She said, grabbing Rey's forearm. "Tightening your wrist prevents-" Avara made a pained sound and ripped her hand away from Rey.

"What the bloody hell was that?" She yelled. "What are you talking about?" Rey asked confusedly. Dameron was up and moved towards the knightess.

"What's wrong?" He asked. He reached out to touch her shoulder, but drew his hand back. Avara was pale. She looked spooked. She was holding on to her right hand like it was about to fall off.

"Only I saw it then." She said, a sneer on her pretty face. She made a pained grunt and ripped off her glove. The skin of her palm was red and blistering. There were a few spots where blood was welling up onto her palm.

"What the hell?" Dameron said, gazing down on her mangled hand. "I had a vision. I don't remember any of it, only the last part where my vision self had someone swing a red lightsaber at her. I reached out and caught the blade and then I snapped to." She said, drawing herself away from the other two. "The lesson is over. I need to go clean up my hand and meditate on my vision." Avara starting walking off into the woods, but was stopped by Poe's voice.

"Clean up your hand fast. The meditating will have to wait. We've got company." Dameron said, pointing up into the sky. A First Order dreadnought was hovering up in the blue, surrounded by a few lighter craft. Tiny specks, presumably TIE Fighters, were whizzing about, heading down towards the surface.

"Blast it." Avara said. The three sprinted off towards their spacecraft.

"Uncle Chewie! I need bandages!" Avara yelled, running towards the Wookiee. Chewbacca immediately got up and tried to tend to her.

"No time! I'm fine, I'm fine, I just need to stop this bleeding so that I can actually fly." Chewbacca ran off into the Falcon. "Artoo! BB-8! Head for the X-Wings!" Two pairs of footsteps on the Falcon's docking ramp called Avara's attention. Finn and Rose were there. The former Stormtrooper tossed a bundle of gauze to Avara.

"What's going on?" He asked, giving Rey a confused look as she barreled into the Falcon.

"First Order, gotta go!" The knightess replied, sloppily tying a bandage around her hand. "No time to lose." Dameron said. Noticing her struggling, he ran over and finished off the wrap for her. "I've got a bad feeling about this." Finn said grumpily as he and Rose ran back into the Falcon.

"Thank you." She said, looking him in the eye. "You're welcome." His fingers stayed a second longer than they should have before the two ran off to their fighters.

"I'm curious to see if all the stories about the great Poe Dameron are true." She said. "At least I have stories about me. I never heard of you til you landed in our hanger." He replied. "Ooh, that was cold Dameron. Very cold." She said, smirking. Dameron was relieved. He wasn't quite sure how she would take that comment.

"Everyone, move!" Avara said. She took off even before her helmet was on. That was a lucky thing. A second later, two lasers scorched the ground where her X-Wing was. Dameron fired up his X-Wing and took off before it was fully ready.

"I know they were warmed up yet. Just keep an eye on them to make sure they don't seize up, ok buddy?" Dameron said to his astromech. BB-8 beeped back as they headed off into Selanian space. "Of course I'm lucky to have you here. I would have been blow to pieces ages ago without you." Poe said. He yanked his fighter to the right as two TIEs lined up behind him.

"I got you Poe!" Avara said, her white and green X-Wing swinging around to face the enemy fighters. She flipped her fighter and flew at the side of the TIE SF, blaster cannons firing. The First Order ship exploded in a puff of fire and smoke. The remaining one was destroyed by Millennium Falcon.

The two X-Wings and the Corellian YT-1300f light freighter all weaved and ducked in the sky, like some sort of dance. Blaster bolts shot across the sky. About seven TIE SF Fighters broke apart in mid air, all thanks to the black and orange X-Wing.

"I understand why your piloting skills are so highly spoken of." Avara said, pieces of debris from a destroyed fighter peppering her X-Wing. "The title of best pilot in the Resistance is well deserved." Avara said. "You aren't bad yourself." Dameron said. She was actually a very good pilot. It impressed him a lot. She still wasn't as good as him though. "Well I can barely touch the controls with my bad hand. How about we get a round two when I heal up?" She said, skirting around two enemy fighters with a looping motion. "You're on."

"I hate to break up the moment, but we have to get out of here." Finn said. "Back up is incoming!" Rey warned. "Including Kylo Ren's TIE Silencer!" Avara said. "Oh great." Dameron groaned.

"Set your course for these coordinates." Avara said, tapping her console. A series of numbers popped on his navi-computer. "Make the jump!" The three ships all took off into lightspeed, leaving the First Order far behind.


	8. Post-Ambush

"Well, well. I wonder how they found us." Finn said pointedly. Avara hopped down from her X-Wing in the hanger of Home One. She shook her head as she pulled her fiery hair out of its buns. Her blue eyes fell on Finn.

"Are you accusing me of something Finn Starkiller?" She asked innocently. There was an edge under her sweet tone. "Yes, yes I am." Avara slammed her helmet on a nearby crate, making them all jump.

"Yea. It totally wasn't that someone saw the Millennium Falcon land outside the city. It's only the most recognizable ship in the whole blasted galaxy." She snapped. "The First Order has eyes and ears everywhere. How do you think they found you on Takodana? You guys were with me the whole time. How would I have possibly transmitted the coordinates with the four of you breathing down my neck the whole damn time?" Finn made a face at her. Avara covered her mouth and laughed in disbelief.

"You're right Finn. I am a spy. A Resistance spy." Avara growled, malice clearly lining her voice. Finn's face didn't change, but Poe's did. "You're a Resistance spy? Since when?" He asked, genuinely surprised. Avara sighed, the anger seeping out of her. "About a year. The map to Acht-To? Who do you think gave the map to Del Meeko? He gave it Lor San Tekka, who gave it to our handsome pilot over here to help you find Luke. That was me." Avara said. Poe smirked. "You think I'm handsome?" He flirted. Avara rolled her eyes. "Doesn't every woman in the Resistance?" She replied coyily. He gave her a suave look, one she scrunched up her nose playfully at.

"If this is the truth, why not tell us? Why keep it a secret?" Finn challenged, interrupting Poe and Avara's intimate little game. "Not my choice. It was Leia's." Avara said, not breaking eye contact with Dameron until the final word. She looked at Finn. "Aunt Leia picked up a few things from her brother. She kept this information secret for Poe and Rey mostly." She explained. "Rey needed to see things aren't as they appear and aren't always so black and white. As for Poe, she wanted him to trust her judgements better. Plus, I think she just likes to mess with him." The former Knight of Ren said with a smirk. She could sense Dameron watching her, but would only grace him with a few split second gazes to keep him guessing. "The point is, she wanted you guys to make your own opinions about me." She said.

"So if you were a double agent for only a year, what made you betray Snoke?" Tico asked. "I was never loyal to Snoke. I was loyal to one person: Ben Solo." Avara said. "After the destruction of the Jedi Temple, Ben was the only family I had. He was who mattered. I was so young. All I wanted to do was make him proud of me. Eventually however... I grew to realize he was only using me. He stopped caring about me along time ago." She said. "Aunt Leia and I had a bond for years, but I finally mustered the courage to reach out to her after the dream I had had.

"When Luke left, he broke the map to Acht-To up purposely to prevent being followed. When I heard that the First Order had found the final piece, I couldn't let them kill him. I took the piece, wiped the back up storage files, and set up a hand off with Del." Avara said.

"And how do we know you weren't the one who set up Lor San Tekka?" Finn asked pointedly. Avara looked deeply saddened. "Because I knew him. He had always been kind to me as a child. I would never set him up knowing that he could get hurt or die." The former knight explained. "Plus I had been exposed before that anyway. Kylo figured out that I had taken the last piece of the map, he rallied the rest of the Knights against me. Everyone joined him, except for Shygus." Avara said, making eye contact with Rose. Tico nodded at her. "He died so that I could get away. Kylo managed to injure me severly. We were on Harasko, planet of a thousands rivers. I survived by using them. I pushed myself off of a cliff into a River Salasko. I was lucky that some farmers found me, or else I would be dead." The former knight said, gripping her right wrist. Finn's face softened, but only slightly.

"I believe you. Almost." Finn said. "Why didn't I hear of it?" He said. "Like Snoke was going to tell the soldiers that two of his Knights betrayed him? No, Finn Starkiller. We were sent on a secret mission, where in a few weeks, it would be reported that we were dead." She said. "Any more questions?" Everyone looked at each other. Even Finn kept his mouth shut.

"Good. I don't have time to deal with your misgivings. I have more important things to do." She said, shoving past the former stormtrooper. She made her way through the ship to the living quarters. Avara felt the stares of every Resistance soldier as she walked past. She couldn't help but wonder how long it would take for people to start seeing her as Avara, the Jedi Master, and not Zella Ren, Knight of Ren.

She found a nice secluded spot in a sparring room and sat down to meditate on her vision from earlier. She concentrated and after a moment, scenes began to form out of the black.

There were red lightsabers. Laughing. Talking. All glimpses, too fast for her to pinpoint. A voice. Obi-Wan Kenobi.

Rey. These are your first steps.

Snoke. A hooded figure. Sidious maybe? Yes, it was him. A strange flying animal. Laughter. Master Yoda's laughter. A blue lightsaber. Then a green one.

"No." Avara said, standing up. "No, no, no, no, no." She took off into the ship. She had gone over those images for hours and hours, until it clicked. She understood.

The former knight sprinted through the corridors of Home One, jumping over droids and narrowly dodging soldiers. She didn't stop until she found Rey and the others on the bridge.

"Dismiss them." She said, breathing heavily. "Dismiss them now!" She yelled. Leia waved her hand and everyone but Finn, Poe, Rey, Rose and Chewbacca left.


	9. Operation: Kraethus

"What's wrong?" Dameron asked, concerned. Avara was pale. She looked scared. She was staring at Rey.

"It was you." She said, pointing at Rey. "You are the Kraethus." Finn lifted up his chin in suspicion. "You aren't making sense."

"Project Mark Omega. It was Imperial. It was started by Emperor Palpatine in case the Jedi ever rose to power again. Snoke took it over and started a subsection of it, Operation: Kraethus. She is the Kraethus!" Avara was hysterical. "What are you talking about?" Dameron asked. Avara took a deep breath and slowed down.

"Project Mark Omega was supposed to make sure the Jedi stayed dead. The Inquisitors were the first half of it. They hunted down all of the Jedi that had survived Order 66. When the Empire fell and the First Order rose, the Inquisitors wouldn't be effective, not with the Jedi Order growing with the support of the New Republic. So Snoke came up with a new plan. First he would fracture the Order using Ben Solo. Then, after that, he would place his Kraethus." Avara explained.

"What is a Kraethus?" Rey asked. She was trying to look nonchalant, but she couldn't hide the tension in her shoulders. Avara looked at her. "A Kraethus is a creature from Endor. It hides its young in a nest, where it copies the scent of the rest of the young. The mother comes and cares for it like one of her own. Once it gets old enough, it turns on its adoptive family and kills them. Originally Snoke was going to have the Kraethus be a droid, gifted to Luke. But I see he changed his plans. Instead of a droid, he used a person." All of their faces turned from curiosity to looks of shock and confusion as they realized what she was implying.

"Are you saying I'm a spy?" Rey asked, her voice dripping with anger and hostility. "No. If you were a spy, I would know it. I trained the First Order spies. That was my main job. I would know you. You are something different. I didn't realize it at first. I should have."

"Realize what?" Finn asked. Avara turned to him. "Why she is so good with the Force. Why her lightsaber combat isn't sloppy; It's rusty. Rey doesn't have natural ability. It's just forgotten." Everyone stared at her, wide eyed.

"When I grabbed your arm, I saw it. I couldn't make sense of it, so I had to meditate to see it again. It was Rey being trained by Niro Ren, the first Knight of Ren. Her with Snoke. Him training her in the Force. And then, him taking away her memories. It's been done before, although it was banned after Revan. I didn't even think anyone knew how to do it anymore." She said. "Snoke had confided in the Knights that he had a prophetic dream, one about Jakku. He didn't say anymore than that. That was a few weeks before Poe met with Lor San Tekka. Unkar Plutt was paid off by the First Order to keep an eye on her." Avara said. Rey was as white as a sheet. She was clearly shocked by what she was hearing. Finn, however, was not.

"I think you're the Kraethus. You are just trying to turn us against each other!" He yelled. Avara lifted her hands up in submission. "I'm not. I didn't even know about Rey. Now that she knows, she can be prepared. If I know Snoke, there is a way to give her her memories back, likely a word or a phrase. And now that he's dead, it'll only be a matter of time until Kylo Ren figures it out and tries to use Rey for his own means." Avara looked to Rey. "You know I'm right." Rey looked at her, her eyes wide. Her expression looked defeated.

"I know. When I went into the cave on Acht-To, I had a vision. I asked where my parents were, and I saw two shapes, that merged into one. And when the face became clear, it was mine. I didn't know what it meant then, but I do now. My whole life, or at least what I think of as my whole life, I've been wondering where I came from. I always thought that meant my parents." She said, trailing off. "It meant your old life." Dameron took a step forward. Rey nodded. "It was telling me that instead of looking for them, I should have been looking for myself." She said. Finn opened his mouth to say something, but shut it again. Everyone was silent. It was broken only seconds later by Dameron. "If Avara is telling the truth, that leaves many questions, but one more important than the rest." Poe said as he looked to Rey.

"Who are you really?"


End file.
